At exactly eleven o'clock, Xiano and Junichi met Qi Lin, who arrived punctually, at the Wisteria Restaurant.
"So, you must be Junichi, right?"
Qi Lin looked at him with a mix of emotions, gesturing with his hands, "I saw you when you were just a little kid by the Old Chairman's side. You probably don't remember me, you were just this big back then…"
"Let's get to the point."
Junichi kept a stern face, remembering Xiano's advice, "I know my father helped you out a bit, but that little favor doesn't outweigh the changes in people's hearts. There's no need for this."
"You're quite the kid," Qi Lin shook his head helplessly and sighed.
"Alright, let's cut to the chase. I'm here because I'm worried and wanted to warn you. Although it's been tacitly agreed that you're participating in this swordsmanship tournament under the Sakuraba name, the championship isn't going to be yours. It might even bring you fatal trouble. It's better to give up early."
"Someone's targeting us? The same people who ostracized and brought down the Sakura Courtyard Dojo?"
"I can't say for sure."
Qi Lin frowned deeply, "Honestly, I still don't understand why the other dojos suddenly united against Sakuraba back then."
"Several of the dojo masters were good friends with the Old Chairman—your father—and they weren't the type to kick someone when they're down."
"Starting about four or five years ago, the atmosphere on this island has become increasingly strange. It seems like everyone suddenly forgot the original purpose of this swordsmanship island and became solely focused on making money."
"Especially the masters of the Seven Great Dojos, it's like they've all become obsessed with money. They even occasionally disappear together for a day or two, no one knows where they go for their secret gatherings…"
"In any case, the waters behind this island run deep."
Qi Lin spoke earnestly, "I know both of you, especially Mr. Xiano here, are very skilled in swordsmanship. But this isn't something that one or two people can handle. It's best to curb your curiosity and leave this island as soon as possible."
Xiano and Junichi exchanged glances.
"That's all I have to say. Just coming to see you has already put me at great risk. I've done my part, don't expect any more help from me."
Qi Lin shook his head, pushed back his chair, and stood up, "As you said, the little favor from back then only goes so far. Farewell, both of you."
They watched his back as he descended the stairs, his footsteps gradually fading away. Only then did they switch seats to face each other.
"Logically speaking, we really shouldn't get involved in this mess."
Xiano crossed his legs and spoke quietly, "But I know, with your personality, you're not going to give up on the championship that's within reach."
"Uh, Mr. Xiano, you don't always have to use me as a shield."
Junichi spread his hands with a bitter smile, "At this point, even if I wanted to run, I doubt you'd let me…"
After spending a few days together, he was getting to know Xiano better.
At first glance, this guy seemed steady and reliable, but his true nature was quite unorthodox. And when his temper flared, he could be even more stubborn than Junichi himself.
"Hey, you're learning to be cheeky pretty fast."
Xiano rolled his eyes, annoyed, "True, I'm not like you, barely making it to the finals. The championship trophy already has my name on it, along with a five million Berry prize."
"Moreover, the registration fee and all those miscellaneous expenses have drained my entire savings. Who cares how deep the waters are? The East Sea is only so big. If anyone dares to stop me from getting my money, I'll cut them down!"
"Mm-hmm!" Junichi nodded vigorously. "So, what are we going to do now?"
"Idiot, we're already at the restaurant. What do you think?" Xiano declared with great enthusiasm, waving his hand to summon the waiter to order. "Of course, we eat first! How can we fight on an empty stomach?"
"But this seems like a high-end restaurant. I just glanced at the menu, and even a vegetable salad costs five thousand Berries. Your money..."
A dead silence fell.
In the end, Xiano dragged Junichi out, fleeing under the disdainful gaze of the waiter, and returned to the square to obediently queue up for the free noodle soup provided by the swordsmanship tournament.
Speaking of which.
It was just supposed to be returning a coin. How did things get so complicated, and now we're reduced to scavenging like vagrants?
What exactly was I here for again?
...
In the afternoon, the quarterfinals and semifinals were held in succession.
For Xiano, there was no suspense.
The two opponents he faced seemed no different from the cannon fodder in the Sea Selection, both sent flying out of the arena with a single powerful strike.
It even made the audience wonder if this guy wasn't here for swordsmanship but rather to play golf.
Junichi, on the other hand, had a much more perilous journey. He struggled for over ten minutes in the quarterfinals before barely securing a victory. His semifinal match was scheduled last, so after Xiano finished his match, he quietly watched from the sidelines.
"Hmm?"
As Xiano observed the tall, masked swordsman, his eyes narrowed, and a sense of foreboding arose within him.
The sharp intuition brought by his physical transformation told him that this person was dangerous, on a completely different level from any swordsman he had encountered before.
"Be careful, Junichi," he whispered to his junior, who was preparing to step onto the stage. "This guy is no ordinary opponent."
"Ah, I can see that too," Junichi nodded solemnly.
"You see nothing. It's just that you struggled against every one of the other seven quarterfinalists."
"...Do you have to expose me like that? Not everyone is as strong as you, able to spin opponents around like tops."
A moment later.
The two stepped onto the stage, bowed to each other, and stood ready.
When they raised their heads, Junichi's eyes were filled with tension, while the tall, masked swordsman simply gazed at him calmly, his expression hidden behind the White Fox Mask.
"Semifinal Match Two! White Fox versus Junichi! The winner advances to the finals!" The host, amidst the eager anticipation of the crowd, suddenly swung his right hand down. "Begin!"
Crack!
The moment the words fell, accompanied by the crisp sound of bamboo swords clashing, Junichi let out a scream and was sent flying out of the arena, landing heavily on the ground several meters away.
The surroundings fell into silence.
The audience stared dumbfounded at White Fox, who calmly sheathed his sword. When they finally reacted, an uproar erupted.
"This guy can actually one-shot his opponent like Mr. Xiano?!"
"What's going on with this year's swordsmanship tournament? What kind of monsters are competing?!"
"The finals are going to be suspenseful now. I thought for sure Mr. Xiano would win, but this makes it exciting!"
Amidst the clamor and excitement, Xiano helped Junichi up, confirming that he was unharmed, and then coldly glared at White Fox on the stage.
The opponent seemed to sense his gaze as well. Their eyes met briefly before the other person shook his head and turned to step off the stage.
The host stood frozen for a moment before suddenly snapping back to reality. He hurriedly climbed onto the stage and loudly announced the result of the match.
"The second semifinal match: White Fox wins! He advances to the finals, where he will face this year's biggest dark horse, contestant Xiano!"
"Following the tradition of the past five years, the final will be held at 7 PM tonight, four hours from now, in the indoor Martial Arts School. This will give the contestants ample time to rest!"
"Audience members with tickets can enter early by presenting their tickets! The event will also be broadcast live on the big screen in the square. Stay tuned!"
Do they really need rest?
The audience couldn't help but mutter to themselves. Both Xiano and the man with the White Fox Mask had instantly defeated their opponents. They had barely stepped onto the stage before stepping off again—it hardly counted as a warm-up.
This year was truly unusual. In previous years, by the time the competition reached the quarterfinals, the matches were usually evenly matched. When had there ever been a scene like this?
However.
This also made some people realize that the popularity of this year's final might far surpass that of previous years. With both sides being monsters, who wouldn't want to know which of the two would ultimately come out on top?
I need to get tickets!
It would be a shame not to watch such a match live!
Many people immediately sprang into action, heading to the ticket office, only to be shocked to learn that the tickets for the final, which originally cost thousands of Berry at the lowest price, had sold out days ago. There were no remaining tickets.
And at that moment.
A group of scalpers stealthily blended into the crowd, looking for targets to sell their tickets to...
...
Behind a large desk.
"All the tickets are sold out? Even the front-row seats are being resold for 50,000 Berry?"
After listening to the report over the phone, the middle-aged man grew even more animated. "With this, the ticket revenue alone will be tens of millions. When you add in the income from the entire swordsmanship tournament, this year's net profit will exceed 200 million!"
"As expected of you, White Fox!"
After hanging up the phone, the middle-aged man lit a cigar and said with a grin, "Only a swordsman like you, who has immersed himself in the art of the sword for over twenty years, could send that kid from the Sakuraba Family flying with a single strike. I wasn't wrong about you. Without you, the hype for this year's final wouldn't have been this high!"
"Want one?"
He offered another cigar. "The final is a best-of-five match. Try to stretch it to five rounds and defeat that kid at the last moment. Can you do it? Only then can we attract more tourists next year and keep driving up the ticket prices!"
White Fox stood silently in place, neither responding nor accepting the cigar.
"Ungrateful," the middle-aged man muttered coldly, clearly annoyed, and took the cigar back. "Get out of here! Go prepare for your final. Later, I'll be watching the live broadcast here with a few lovely ladies. Having a wooden post like you standing around is just a mood killer!"
Without a word, White Fox turned and left.
As he walked down the hallway.
He happened to see Xiano and Junichi in the distance, standing in line at the square to receive the free dinner rice boxes being handed out. The two were joking and laughing with each other, clearly having grown quite close.
"Why did you have to come back..."
White Fox stared at the scene, a hint of nostalgia flickering in his gaze, but it quickly turned cold.
He had already given him a chance back then.
He took one last glance in the direction of the middle-aged man's office, then turned and strode away without further delay.
He had earned enough money, grown weary of the act, and truly no longer wished to stay on this island. It was about time... to bring it all to an end.
(End of Chapter)